1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for removing pollutants from internal combustion engine emissions and in particular to an air-pollutant separator for removing pollutants from the exhaust and other engine sources of emission.
2. Background of the Invention
At present, exhaust fumes from the engine of a vehicle flow through an exhaust pipe and through a muffler to be exhausted. As exhaust fumes generally contain a large amount of incompletely burned gasoline and carbon monoxide, which is toxic to human bodies, laws are enacted to limit toxic gas emission to protect human health and the environment.
The continuing effort to develop ways and means of reducing the pollution from internal combustion engines is well known. This effort continues on at least two broad fronts. On the one hand, there is modification of engine operation or replacement with a different type of power source. On the other hand, there are efforts to develop accessories for use with internal combustion engines with and without accompanying engine modifications, both at the intake and exhaust sides of the engine to prevent the engine from creating one or the other of the undesirable types of emissions and to trap and entrain the pollutants emitted by the engine prior to the discharge of the exhaust from the engine to the atmosphere.
Illustrative of such accessories are the catalytic converters which are being utilized in the exhaust system of internal combustion engines. The palladium catalyst used by the converters is a prime factor in requiring engines to be modified so that they can operate on non-leaded fuels. The use of leaded fuels quickly “poison” the palladium catalyst utilized in such converters, thereby quickly rendering them ineffective. The positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system for reducing pollution due to crankcase emissions including the PCV and valve converter is another example of such engine accessories
Therefore, there is a need for an accessory for use with a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine that can effectively and efficiently clean undesirable products from the exhaust gases associated with those vehicles.
Because vehicle emission gases change over time, due to changes in engine design or engine use, as well as results desired, any accessory associated with the engine should be easy to change. Therefore, there is a need for an accessory for use with a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine that can effectively and efficiently clean undesirable products from the exhaust gases associated with those vehicles yet is easy to remove and replace so it is easily and efficiently changed to meet changing requirements associated with the engine.
Still further, in order to be most acceptable and to achieve the most success, any such accessory should be inexpensive to encourage the widest possible use thereof. In this regard, there is a need for an accessory for use with a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine that can effectively and efficiently clean undesirable products from the exhaust gases associated with those vehicles yet will be inexpensive to purchase, remove and replace.